Today was my first day working as a process efficiency engineer in Laporte, TX. I couldn't sleep last night thinking about today...I was really antsy, like a little boy waiting on Santa Clause to leave the gifts under the Christmas tree. I don't know why I act that way...but anyway I was there at 7 am, got to be part of the morning safety meeting, met the operators, hung out in the control room for a while and even climbed onto the coldbox to open a valve. This is definitely the dream job of a Chemical Engineer. On top of everything else, I got my own office...so no more sharing bitches! All in all, I had the most amazing time and my boss and office neighbors are just awesome.
In addition to that, today I started with the weight loss challenge which consists of eating healthy and exercising regularly. The weekly goal is to lose 2.5 lbs. A friend of mine also joined in so I'l keep you posted on how things go with it. Well, that's all for tonight. Need to be rested for work tomorrow.
Peace
It's been a long time since I last blogged! I've been so busy trying to wrap up my first assignment at the OSC, while studying for the PCAT in the midst of packing my things to move to my new apartment in Pearland, I haven't had a chance...
Moving on, this is my last week at the OSC... Its amazing how fast time flies by! In two weeks Ill celebrate my first anniversary in Houston, TX. What a wild ride! I've met so many cool people, learned how to adapt to a work environment and how to interact with my coworkers, which can be a hassle sometimes. I'm ready to move on to my next assignment as a hardcore efficiency engineer in Laporte, TX. I cant wait to move, but Ill sure miss everyone in the office and Houston as well...After all, this is my last year in Houston, [if and only if I ace my PCAT test]. My plans for next year are to move to Miami and start my phd in pharmaceutical sciences. Im ready to step down to the bottom of the pyramid again and be a student. I simply enjoy the student life too much. I'll also be around my family more, which is very important at this stage of my life.
In addition to all of these great news, Nahla has been going out to potty and I havent had to worry about cleaning the carpet for a week now. I know it might not seem like a big deal to some, but to me it soooo is!
I also gave Nahla her first haircut and she looks adorable. I love her to death, and couldn't imagine surviving this phase of my life without her!
So, let the countdown begin....t minus 365....Miami 2011!
These past two days have been horrible at work. Yesterday, I left my laptop at home and I noticed when I was in the parking lot of my building, so I had to go back to pick it up. Today, was even more horrible. I had to give the ASU ops a training in control systems, and I had two old timers that were not paying attention and were acting like dickheads. So what do I decide to do to destress??? I dip in snuff under my lip and start to chew it. It was an intense experience. The room started to spin super fast, and I wasn't gloomy anymore. I wanted to defy them and let them know that they were assholes, but then I started to feel sick and the texture of the tobacco in my mouth was so nasty I had to spit everything out. I just wanted to blog this awesome/awkward experience. So in the past year, Ive been to the rodeo, bought myself leather boots/cowboy hat, fired a revolver and chewed some snuff. What can I say? My Puerto Rican ass is turning Texan!
I have crossed the wonderful 610 "bridge" and moved on to greener pastures: Pearland. I have decided to leave the bustling and ramblings of downtown Houston to settle in a more comfortable apartment, to the south of downtown. I strongly believe that moving to this apartment is a big upgrade for me because 1) now I have hardwood floors for my little rascal to pee and poop on, 2) the apartment complex offers more open spaces to walk Nahla, 3) I have a poolview from my balcony which is a super plus ( the only view I have on my current apartment is the rust parking covers of the neighbors, 4) its $350.00 cheaper, and this is very important since I need to save as much money as possible if I am planning on going back to school and 5) I live 5 minutes away from the Pearland Town Center, which has over 50 different retail stores to choose from.
I feel really blessed and thankful to have this opportunity and I think that this decision will bring forth a new atmosphere of change and novelty to my life. I just cant believe that Im moving!!! Can't wait to invite all of my blogger friends to a cookout ha!
Here are some pics that I took today. Enjoy
It's been almost 10 months since I moved to Houston, and I love everything about it. I have friends, a good job, and a great apartment. But there's a price to pay. Now that I got used to the single life in a very different city, I have started looking for potential apartment complexes that are both roomy and cheap. If I could lower my expenses by $350-500 that would allow me to save more money for my grad school plans. Last Sunday I visited the Pearland area, a southern suburb near the downtown, and I fell in love with it. There's a Target, H.E.B, the Pearland Mall, and a bunch of cool restaurants within walking distance. I will probably be apartment hunting this weekend with my new real estate agent, and Ill keep you posted on my final decision. I am grateful to God and my family for helping me choose the apartment at Kirby Place, I know that it was a great choice for that period of time in my life, but I am ready to move on, always forward...
In the past twenty three years, I have met a lot of great people that have helped me grow in many ways. I've also met a lot of assholes. People who make you feel miserable, lonely and full of doubt. I mean, I can understand that people are busy and that sometimes it is hard to get together and hang out, but there are people who simply ignore you and don't care about you enough to even text you to see how you're doing. The issue that I'm having with myself is the fact that I find people like that rather intriguing. i don't know if it is because I'm not like that, or because they play hard to get, but whatever the case may be it irRitates me. It makes me wonder if I really want to live this way. I dont think this is a good vice, since it always makes me feel glum and out of control. i promise I will make the necessary changes to eliminate the assholes from my life. So 'friends' who call me to let me know that the got laid or that they partied til 6 am or that they banged three girls in one night can go to hell. It really pisses me off because I deserve better than this. I have enough good friends to be happy and do not need to have bad company around. I will work this through and in the end will come back VICTORIOUS... I just need to find something that I am good at and focus on perfecting that. It wil boost my Confidence to a new level and will eventually break the curse of being the sidekick of assholes..
My plans for the weekend rarely come to life, but this time something unexpected happened. My family was visiting Disney World for the nth time and everything was "peaches and cream" until the last day. My sister was feeling sick, and all of a sudden she developed a viral infection and we later learned that she also had pneumonia. So for all of you whose eyes got quirky when they read the word "pneumonia" its a very common and dangerous disease where the lungs get filled with mucus and water. The result is shorter breath capacity and due to the inefficient oxygen transport, the person can become weak. On top of that, a viral infection compromises the immune system to work and to spend energy trying to fight the virus, And on top of everything else, my sis is 6 years old. So yeah, you get the picture. I was really worried and all I could think of was my sister. I had a feeling in my gut that I was going to lose her. To make this story short, she got hospitalized for 6 days, and I was getting more stressed as the days went by. So I made a radical move: I packed my bags, notified my boss about the situation and headed to Orlando to lend them a hand. While I was there, she began to recuperate - she started to breathe again without the help of a ventilator and was eating more and cooperating with the nurses. All in all, we had a great time as a family. I didnt know how much I needed to be with them. God works in mysterious ways. If it werent for my sister's disease, I wouldnt have flown to Orlando, spent time with my family and rekindled old friendships with people that moved from PR to Orlando and lost contact with.
Im back in Houston, I love my life, and I consider this place "home". It's too weird to think that THIS IS MY HOME. I guess HOME is wherever I am. I still miss my family, and Im glad that my sister is ok, and I wouldnt change these experiences for the world. I wouldnt change my life, as complex as it is, and as lonely as it can be sometimes, I enjoy spending time with me, myself and I.
[I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day] E.B White
I've been having these weird thoughts about life and relationships, it's getting to a point where I question myself if I have lived a proper life to this day. I've even changed my priorities and hobbies drastically. I want to try new things. I want to feel free like the wind that roams the earth. I simply want to feel alive. And what a better way to start on this new journey of life than being single, no strings attached. But I also feel that my time is running out, and I am getting older, no kids, no wife, no place to call my own, I am simply a nomad. But aren't we all? Haven't we been placed as temporary pawns users of Earth's resources? Come what may, I shall live life to the fullest. That is what my heart desires. To enjoy all kinds of music and dance to its beat, even if I have two left feet. To express myself through the art of cooking, luring my senses with the mystical scent of homemade goodies. To grow old knowing that time is on my side, that I've learned to allocate wisely and to make Dad proud. I just want to make Dad proud. And Mom too. Alas, my whole family. My core, my undying foundation.
I don't know what path has the Maker drawn for me, whether it ends on a refreshing river where a waterfall maintains a never ending flow, or an arid desert, where loneliness is king of the hill. I cannot foretell what I will end up like, I can only control the letters that are being typed by my able hands at this very moment, the intensity of the candlelight to my right, and the volume of that gentle song that calms my spirit.
I don't ask for much, even though I have had much. I only ask for love and approval. I only ask for a hand when my knees are about to drop to the floor, I just need your text every once in a while. I need to feel loved, I need your respect. Besides, what else is there that can make people soar through the skies and do crazy things but love? I may not make sense now, but that's the point of this. In the end, it will all make sense, and my candid grin will tell the story of that young buck wo once sat on his computer desk, and vented out to the world, that he simply wanted to be loved. I may not have the right words to describe what I feel, for this is not my native tongue, but going back to it, I don't need words. I just need to be loved. Perhaps this is a test. To be here by myself, to reflect, to strategize, to ponder, to learn, to teach, to grow, to ask what I really want, what my next step is going to be, and what new challenge am I going to entrust myself with. I have to accept that I have lost that roadmap that was given to me by my parents when I was born. I need to find that roadmap. I need to find myself again. I thought I knew many things, but that's because I never needed to take a peek at it. Now that I desperately need it, I remember what my dad used to say: "you will grow to understand things that are not tangible to you now, but they will become a reality in a near future, and will help you pave the path that has been chosen for you. Never lose the map that your mom and I have devised for you. Never lose who you are, your calling".
I really need to find myself...
[Procrastination is a bitch.]
I need to be reminded that if I succumb to its power, it will pummel the crap out of me. I've been spending too much time playing video games, chatting with people on AIM, and watching reruns of my favorite TV shows, I've forgotten about other things that are important in life. I need to start spending time with people, outside of this apartment. I need to stop eating unhealthy, and I also need to be aware of the fact that I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TRIM MY HAIR.
Why is that relevant? Well, today I decided to trim my hair. I guess I was annoyed at the fact that everytime I go to a barbershop, I spend $20 bucks and I leave unsatisfied. On top of that, the weather has been shifting so badly, yesterday we were in the high 80's, and my freaking a/c was not doing its job. So I started to trim it slowly but surely. But my patience can only get so much, I wanted to get it done fast so I started to rush the process. By doing so, I accidentally cut off a big chunk of hair, which obligated me to cut it shorter than expected. Now, Im balder than ever, fat and on top of that I didnt accomplish my tasks for this weekend. And guess whose fault it is? You guessed right. PROCRASTINATION.
I hope April brings forth a new me. I don't have any regrets, but I would like to accomplish more.
Hey y'all! I know I haven't spent a lot of time blogging about my experiences in Houston, lately.But don't fear, I am back.
This weekend has undoubtedly been one of the most interesting ones since I've been here. Not that I've had a boring stay while in Houston. On the contrary, I've learned so many things, and grown in so many areas, it's actually scary to keep up with this new mindset that has set upon me.
Anyways, let's not get too esoteric. Last Friday, after work, I finally met one of the biggest enemies of the human state: the revolver. I've never seen a gun before in my life, let alone held a gun. But as I always do in front of girls, I had to man up. Well, I didn't technically man up that well, but at least I wanted to. The gun felt funny in my hands, it was very heavy and very powerful. To think that something like that could take away a life in seconds scared me to death, and since I'm accident prone, I was trying to handle it with care, although my friend would disagree with me :). I first tried using the stubnose revolver. My hands were stiff, I pointed to the paper target, pull the trigger slowly and closed my eyes. Yes, I closed my eyes. It felt so good to pull that trigger, it was as if I had been shot with adrenaline powder in a magic casket. I finished the first round, which was about 5 bullets, and then I switched to the 9mm automatic gun.
That's when I got really excited. It was as close as being a secret agent. In this case, there's a pulling mechanism that you have to follow, they call it cocking the gun. Then, you pull the trigger. It felt so smooth and uncanny at the same time. I, with a 9mm in one hand, my feet steadfast on the ground, was creatively trying to destroy this paper monster painted in red.
Even though I only aced the bullseye once, It felt surreal. Although, I don't necessarily think this will be a new hobby of mine, I could potentially see it as being a stress relief activity that I could do every once in a while. It's all about taking it to the next level. It's all about trying new things, even if those things scare you to death. It's all about letting yourself into this new world, where everything and everyone is a new opportunity to grow and expand that mind of yours.
That reminds me, today we had our first OSC BBQ party @ Will and Sophie's new house. To be honest, I didn't want to go at first, because I thought that it was going to be morbidly awkward for me to hang out with these people who I barely know. Well, I should take that back, I know these guys, and I really think that they are my Houston family and all, but it's just hard to have a relationship aside from the one we have at work. On top of that, the age difference between us is noticeable, making it harder for me to relate to these people. In addition to that, I'm still trying to feel comfortable in my own skin with my english skills and my eerie personality. But I decided to go because I wanted to challenge myself to do things I would not normally do. I'm very shy, although some people would think the opposite based on first impressions. I'm trying to get to a point where I feel comfortable with who I am, but until then I will still need to be dared to do normal things which I consider bold. All in all, I had a great time with my coworkers, and I am developing feelings for each of them, feelings that will be hard to "shut down" when I leave this wonderful city...
Til next time lads...
Just wanted to post this picture that I took with Nahla.
This week has been somewhat hectic at work. First of all, I've been dealing with the paperwork and others tasks that are required to fill for my next rotation, and I finally have the official first day: July 26th. It's bittersweet, cause on one end I want to move to Laporte and meet new people and start working as a process engineer, but on the other hand, I'm really going to miss the OSC. But what the heck, its a 10 mile drive, so Ill be around the block. Anyhow, I also told one of coworkers about my future plans, to go back to school, and he was very excited about that. That's cool cause I was getting worried about it and I really wanted to share that with him. So we'll see how things unfold.
I got my PCAT Review Handbook, so Ill be studying as of next week. I can't wait! I enjoy learning and teaching so much, I really dont think I could do anything else. My mind is already set. I will go back to school.
Well, I'm pretty tired, so I'll be going to bed in a few. BTW, I know I already blogged about going to the shooting range last week, but somehow it got rescheduled to tomorrow. So, I will blog about my experience as a first time shooter in Texas tomorrow night.
Buenas noches!
Today I decided to revisit one of my favorite memories from my childhood: Final Fantasy...
I've been a fan of Final Fantasy RPG's ever since I was a little kid. I fell in love with the intense storyline and the artistic graphic display of magic and adventure. One of my top favorites, Final Fantasy X, tells the story of a young blitzball player from the future who falls in love with a sorceress woman, destined to be the savior of her nation. Here's one of the movie trailers from the game, the one that dragged me into the sophisticated world of aeons, swords and colorful magic.A world where everything is possible.
Ten years have passed since I first laid eyes on FF, but everytime I see it, hear it or even play it (for old time's sake), I immerse myself into that dreamy world filled with hope and surreal skies.
Tomorrow I'm going to the shooting range with some of my coworkers. I'm kinda nervous because I've never held a gun before, but you know me, I wouldnt hurt a fly...We'll see how it goes. I guess I'm getting my "license to kill" for realz this time. Who knows, maybe someday I'll become the next 007 agent :)
Accidents can sometimes be a good thing.
Today I decided to groom Nahla, as I usually do every Sunday. I gave her a bath, brushed her teeth and cleaned her ears with a q-tip. I also did something else that I've never done before. I tried to trim her nails. I followed the instructions on the back of the box, and I proceeded to slay my fear of cutting her nails. First paw, done. Second paw, so far so good. Third paw, never better. When I finally reached her last paw, I was getting ready to cut her nail when she suddenly moved at the same time that I pressed on the nail clipper and blood started to squirt off her paw instantly. My fear became a reality. I panicked for a second there. I tried stopping the flow of blood by applying pressure on the nail, and it seemed to have worked. I called a couple of friends and my cousin for advice, and while I was doing that, the frigging nail decided to squirt some more blood. That's when I really started to panic. I wasn't feeling very good, and I didnt want to go to the Animal Hospital so I prayed to God. And apparently he heard my prayer, cause the bleed stopped.
Lesson learned: Bad things are not always a bad thing.
IM SO EXCITED! Its finally here....
I'm getting a copy of it as soon as I can.
So what if Imma gamer at heart? Sue me ha!
Just wanted to share my excitement with you guys,
TTFN!
So I started with my healthy diet yesterday. It consists of plain or strawberry yogurt for breakfast, special K for lunch, salads or grilled chicken for dinner, and healthy snacks in between. Gallons of water, and enough willpower to hop into the time machine, aka stationary bike, and exercise my ass off while I watch The Office. Sounds good right? Well so far so good. I will be taking measurements every Sunday morning.
There are certain food types and drinks that I have banned from my new lifestyle:
1. Coke, the silent killer (well it doesnt necessarily kills you, but it will definitely rip out your reputation since it increases the possibility of cellulite formation in your thighs and buns, making you less attractive and dead to society.)
2. Pasta, As much as I love Italian food, I have to give it up for now. Too much carbs and sugar.
3. Rice - Let me tell ya, the fact that I'm from Puerto Rico makes this even harder to avoid.
4. Candy - this is a no brainer.
I will keep my fellow fans updated...I know I don't have any fans as of yet, but it helps to be optimistic.
In addition to that, I promised that I was going to learn and understand an English word everyday and try to incorporate it on a regular basis. Well here goes:
Men are obssessed with order and reaching goals. And so am I. So for the next three months, I will start writing updates about my weight loss progress and I will also include a "word of the day" section to improve my English vocabulary skills and verbiage. The intention of setting up these two goals is obvious: to become a chick magnet. Sorry if you thought I was going to come up with a more orthodox reason...Til tomorrow.
I rarely have time to relax and hang out with my friends these days. I've been working nonstop, trying to get things done and hoping to get a shiny Oscar for my hard work, I've literally lost the reins of my social life. So I have decided to chill out a little more, and to have fun with my friends at least on Saturdays. Last Saturday I visited the Woodlands, which I already blogged about, and this weekend we gathered together at my place, kissed Nahla goodbye, and took off to a Spanish Tapas Restaurant. After we finally arrived, (and after having to simmer down my friends' hearts due to my "negligent driving skills" which I still don't get), we ordered some tapas and "sangria" and had the best time of our lives.
Tipsy and all, we headed to the AMC Movie Theatre to watch the self proclaimed movie of the year: Alice in Wonderland. It was ok. I initially gave it 7 stars, and as we were walking towards the car, stars were dropping off my pockets, and when I finally got home, Alice in "Crappyland" had an outstanding rating of 1 star...But it doesnt matter, cause negligent-driving, sangria-drinking, and movie-snorting beat the crap out of watching MTV over an over by myself while running reports for work....
While I was getting ready to sleep, I started thinking about life, what a wonderful ride it has been. I can't stop wondering about the future...who would have thought that we'd grow as much as we have in the past few years. Aside from the technological whirlwind and the new developments in science and education, the human race has evolved greatly. Whether you're a Creationist or Darwinian, you should agree with me on this: we've reached the infinite sky in which our past generations had deposited their dreams, hope and faith. The past is for us to remember where we came from, the future is to show us what we can do, but only the present can make dreams a tangible reality...love life to the fullest and it will bring forth happiness...you will reach your deepest desires.I know I have...and for this I thank ye Lord..for you have taken care of me: my essence and aroma...til next time.
For those of you who are trying to get ahold of your finances, this is the best software tool that I've found so far. It allows you to prioritize your expenses based on budgeted items, it groups all of your bank accounts/credit cards into one user friendly interface, its security encryption is very trustworthy and the best thing is that it's FREE!
You will never believe how easy it is to control your personal finances.Open an account today.
Send me any feedback on it.
Arrivederci...
Today I visited one of my best friends who lives in the Woodlands, and I had a great time. I learned a couple of things about it during my visit:
1) 98% of its population is/has been part of a wine and cheese association at some point.
2) People in Texas are willing to pay $1000.00 for fancy leather boots.
3) You can have a great brunch at Hubbel and Hudson for FREE...Well, if you consider "sample hopping" a part of your diet.
4) There is a very enthusiastic employee working in Sur la Table, who almost killed us with his electrifying passion for cooking....Across that store, Eddie Bauer has a very interesting lady who offered us a discount ticket, after repetitively asking me and my friends if we shopped together regularly. There is definitely something wrong with the water over there...
5) You no longer have to interact with fast food employees. All you need is creativity and a red marker. If you don't believe me, you can pay a visit to Which Wich.
.bmp)
The most important thing I learned today was that you must always use the stairs and avoid elevators at all times (if you don't want to die of a heart attack after being held inside a stupid elevator for 4.3 minutes...) And of course, it doesn't matter if you're in the Woodlands, Sitka, or Puerto Rico, what matters the most are the memories that you construct in each of them... That's what makes the world go round....
February 24,2010
Ticks are to a dog what liars are to society...they are infectious and can poison whatever they touch. I was talking to someone about this guy who lied about his age, probably because a) he was into her b) he felt that the age difference between them would be an issue in the future, and c) because he wanted to feel "young" again. These are all assumptions. Maybe he is a compulsive liar that is obsessed with fantasy, which in turn pushes him into an imaginary reality. Or maybe he simply said that because he was nervous at first, and 25 was the first thing that came to his mind. It doesn't matter what the cause is, because the outcome will always be the same. Doubt. Betrayal. Lack of trust. And this has happened to me a lot. I've been the victim and the culprit. I've lied about a lot of things, and people have lied to me as well.
February 23,2010
Today I decided to publish my first blog as part of my goals for this new year (a little late for resolutions eh?) Well, work was OK, I guess. Will, one of my coworkers, farted in front of me while we were having a deep conversation. It reminded me of The Office. I love that show. Anyways, I'm getting closer to find out what my next rotation is going to be. Since my position requires to move to a different location/assignment annually, I'm very eager to find out. Will I stay in the Houston area next year? Time will tell soon. It kinda sucks though cause I already settled in, and I really don't like "change". It's awkward to meet new people, and to get used to the lingo and the new job. The first couple of weeks were horrible for me when I started. I had lunch by myself and I really wasn't clicking with anyone. I didn't feel part of anything and I had a hard time dealing with loneliness and "homesickness" at the same time. It feels like I'm starting over again. At least I made a couple of friends in Houston and I've learned a lot these past few months I've been away from home. It makes me wonder...
Ugh, I get distracted easily, so let's get back to it. After work, I stepped into the gym, and worked for 2 hours straight (that's a big deal for me, being the lazy guy that I am). I'm trying to shed off a couple of pounds for the summer season. Oh and interestingly enough, my best friend called me. We haven't spoken in a long time. It's weird how we can stop talking for a long time, and yet we're able to catch up quickly from where we left off, and keep on going. That makes me feel good about myself and my relationships with people.
Oh well, that's enough for one day I guess. Til next time...
